Catamenial appliance



June 4, 1963 J. E. J. MOSIER 3,092,109

CATAMENIAL APPLIANCE Filed May 9. 1960 INVENT JEANETTE ELAINE J. Mo

United States Patent "ice 3,092,109 CATAMENIAL APPLIANCE Jeanette Elaine J. Mosier, Albuquerque, N. Mex. (606 Ocean Blvd., Seal Beach, Calif.) Filed May 9, 1960, Ser. No. 27,737 9 Claims. (Cl. 128289) The present invention relates to a catamenial appliance or device and to a sanitary napkin and holder.

Present day catamenial devices frequently incorporate belts which are diflicult to adjust so that they are comfortable in the various positions the body assumes in standing, sitting, jumping, bending, etc. Such belts often cause chafing and irritation of the perineal and interglu-teal skin areas. Also such sanitary belts in many cases tend to allow the sanitary napkin to slide out of its most absorptive position. Many of these problems are solved by the well known tampon or suppository; however, such tampons not infrequently cause vaginal irritations and infection and, in certain cases, can fall out of the vaginal cavity.

The devices disclosed in my copending application entitled, Sanitary Napkin and Holder (S.N. 6,724, filed February 4, 1960) reduce irritation to such an extent that the wearer of certain of the devices of my copending application at times does not even realize that she is wearing a catamenial device. It can be appreciated that such a situation can lead to a feeling of insecurity. It is, therefore, desirable that improved means he provided for letting the wearer of such a catamenial device know the device is correctly positioned.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide an improved catamenial appliance.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a catamenial appliance which does not irritate the wearer, yet includes improved means for notifying the wearer that the appliance is in position for absorbing menses.

A further problem relating to the absorbing and controlling of the menses occurs when the wearer is lying horizontally facing upwardly as in sleep. Menstrual secretions tend to seep posteriorly and around the end of a conventional pad soiling the conventional belt and other clothing. This is especially true during the heavy flow of the first day or two of the menstrual period.

Therefore, a further object of the present invention is to provide a catamenial appliance incorporating means for effectively deterring a rearward seepage tendency.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a catamenial device including a pad of absorbent material, a pair of loops of elastic material carrying said pad at the opposite sides thereof and a section of material projecting from one face of said pad adjacent one end thereof.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sanitary napkin constructed according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a catamenial appliance embodying the invention and incorporating the sanitary napkin of FIG. 1. 7

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the female body showing the catamenial appliance of FIG. 2 in proper position.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the napkin and holder of FIG. 2 showing it in proper position over the vulvar area.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there 3,092,109 Patented June 4, 1963 is illustrated a sanitary napkin and holder arrangement 10 comprising a generally rectangular, somewhat elongated section 11 of cloth, plastic or similar material having loops 12 of elastic material secured thereto at the opposite longitudinal edges 15 thereof. In the embodiment illustrated, the loops are closed and sewn to the edges 15 so as to extend along those edges. The transverse edges 16 and 17 of the rectangular section 11 of cloth have elastic sewn thereto so as to cause the rectangular section of cloth to cup around a sanitary napkin or pad 18 formed of layers of absorbent material as is conventionally used for sanitary napkins.

The sanitary napkin 18 is detachably secured to the section 11 by means of conventional snap fasteners 20 and 21, the female portions of the respective fasteners being mounted on the rectangular section 11 to facilitate the use of a washing machine wringer. It should be noted that the female portion of the snap fastener 21 is located closer to the rearward edge 17 of the section than the female portion of the snap fastener 20 is located to the forward edge 16 of the section of material. Because the male portions are spaced generally equally from the ends of the sanitary napkin, the loops 12 join the section 11 closer to the rearward end of the sanitary napkin than to the forward end thereof. Because the loops and snaps are so proportioned and arranged, the napkin 18 when in position (FIG. 5) covers only the forward portion of the perineum and does not cover the rectum.

In place of the snap fasteners 20 and 21, one snap fastener or even other fastening means might be used.

' For example, there is acommercially available fastening means comprising a pair of nylon tapes, one having a fieecy surface and the other a burr surface. When these surfaces are placed together, they adhere producing an excellent fastening means. One such burr section of nylon tape might be secured to the holder at the forward end thereof and each pad would have a fleecy section of tape secured thereto at the forward end thereof to quickly indicate the forward portion of the pad to the user.

equal to the distance between the rectum 27 and the frenulum 30. When the napkin and holder of the present invention are in proper position as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5, projection 26 is received at the body surface area between the urogenital region and the perineal region.

The projection 26 bears against the wearer acting as an indicating device giving confidence to the wearer and assuring her that the napkin is in proper position, yet does not result in the irritation which may result from the conventional tampon or devices extending into the vestibule area between the labia. When the wearer is lying in a horizontal upwardly facing position as in sleep, the projection 26 provides an effective damming action deterring rearward seepage of fluid and preventing soiling of the clothes.

In one specific embodiment of the invention, the length of the napkin 18 is approximately four to six inches and the width approximately three inches. The napkin is of slightly less width posteriorly than anteriorly, the stitching 22 producing this effect. The fin 26 is located in the posterior one-third to one-fourth of the napkin and projects upwardly approximately one-half to one inch.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 3 and 5, between the legs the female thigh is narrowed at the groove between the lateral margin of the labia majora and the proximal portion of the internal femoral region. Because of the narrowing of the female form in this area, the elastic loops 12may be seated securely to encircle the thighs so as to pass through the above mentioned groove and the gluteal fold, and to extend laterally just above the trochanteric region, anteriorly across the subinguinal regions just'above the medial termination of the inguinal ligament and again to said groove. When the holder and napkin of the present invention are so received on the female form, they are comfortable and cause little or no skin chafing and irritation.

From the above description, it will be obvious that the present invention provides an improved catamenial device whichis comfortable to wear and which is elficient in operation. It can also be seen that, in the projection 26, the present invention provides an improved indicating device giving confidence to the wearer and assuring her that the napkin is'in position but without irritation of sensitive skin areas. Furthermore, in projection 26, the present invention'provides effective means for preventing leakage offluid to' the rear duringsleep.

While the invention'has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and'not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

l. A catamenial device comprising a section of material, a pair of loops of elastic material, said loops being secured to said section of material at opposite sides thereof, said loops each being of a suitable length to be received in stretched relation about a respective one of the wearers legs at the juncture thereof with the torso, a pad carried by said section of material, and a portion of material projecting from the upper face of said pad at and adjacent the rearward end thereof and sized for reception between the rectum and frenulurn when the loops are received about the wearers legs.

2. A catamenialdevice comprising a flexible generally rectangular section of material, a pair of elongated pieces of elastic material secured to opposite sides of said section of material and defining loops which form the sole supporting means for the device, said loops each being of a suitable length to be received in stretched relation about a respective one of the Wearers legs at the juncture thereof with the torso, each of said pieces leading away. from said rectatngular section at two adjacent corners thereof, each of said pieces leading from difierent corners of said rectangular section, a sanitary napkin carried by said rectangular section of material, said sanitary napkin comprising a generally fla-t elongated pad of absorbent material sized to cover the urogenital area and having a generally rectangular shape generally coinciding with the rectangular shape of said section of material, said pad being stitched at and adjacent the rearward end thereof on the upper face thereof in such a manner as to cause a portion of the napkin to extend upwardly away from said face and to form an elongated fin-shaped projection, said projection extending generally parallel to the length of the pad.

3. A sanitary napkin and holder comprising a generally rectangular section of material, a pair of loops of elastic material secured to opposite sides of said section of material, said loops each being of a suitable length to be received in streched relation about a respective one of the wearers legs at the juncture thereof with the torso, a sanitary napkin carried by said section of material, said sanitary napkin comprising an elongated pad formed with a fin-shaped projection of absorbent material extending longitudinally of the pad on the upper face at and adjacent the rearward end thereof.

4; A sanitary napkin comprising a pad of absorbent material having a substantially trapezoidal cross section along a. central plane paralleling the bottom surface of said pad, a fin-like projection formed on said pad, said projection being located contiguous to the center of the rearward edge of said pad and extending longitudinally along the top surface of said pad to a position short of the midpoint thereof.

5. The sanitary napkin of claim 4 in which the tin-like projection has a length of one-third to one-fourth of the pads length.

6. The sanitary napkin of claim 4 in which the fin-like I projection has a maximum height approximately one-half to one inch.

7. The sanitary napkin of claim 4 in which the length of the pad is approximately four to six inches and the width thereof is approximately three inches, the fin-like projection has a length of one-third to one-fourth of the napkins length and the tin-like projection has a maximum height approximately one-half to one inch.

8. The sanitary napkin of claim 4 in which the fin-like projection is formed by stitching at the juncture of the projection with the pad itself, said stitching causing the pad to have a somewhat lesser width posteriorly than anteriorly.

9. The sanitary napkin of claim 4 in which said pad has a somewhat lesser width posteriorly than anteriorly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,837,483 Cecil-Reaney Dec. 22, 1931 2,092,346 Arone Sept. 7, 1937 2,331,355 Strongson Oct. 12, 1943 2,481,351 Rosenfield Sept. 6, 1949 2,798,490 Fullerton July 9, 1957 

1. A CATAMENIAL DEVICE COMPRISING A SECTION OF MATERIAL, A PAIR OF LOOPS OF ELASTIC MATERIAL, SAID LOOPS BEING SECURED TO SAID SECTION OF MATERIAL AT OPPOSITE SIDE THEREOF, SAID LOOPS EACH BEING OF A SUITABLE LENGTH TO BE RECEIVED IN STRETCHED RELATION ABOUT A RESPECTIVE ONE OF THE WEARER''S LEGS AT THE JUNCTURE THEREOF WITH THE TORSO, A PAD CARRIED BY SAID SECTION OF MATERIAL, AND A PORTION OF MATERIAL PROJECTING FROM THE UPPER FACE OF SAID PAD AT AND ADAJACENT THE REARWARD END THEREOF AND SIZED FOR RECEPTION BETWEEN THE RECTUM AND FRENULUM WHEN THE LOOPS ARE RECEIVED ABOUT THE WEARER''S LEGS. 